Resumes, cover letters, and profiles – Oh, my!

The other day I listened to a panel of recruiters and HR professionals say that they really don’t care about cover letters.

One panelist actually said, and I quote, “I have not read a cover letter in 10 years.” There was an audible gasp from the audience of job searchers who have apparently been slaving away on cover letters hoping to capture the attention of a hiring manager.

Then there are those who said, “The résumé is dead. All anyone cares about is your LinkedIn profile.”

What? Can this be true?

And there was more advice, “When it comes to online profiles you better make sure yours rocks.”

Oh, I would if I only knew how to “rock my profile.”

The upshot of all this is that the world of work is changing. The job-search process is becoming more and more complex. And advice, (good, bad, and otherwise) seems to flow liberally.

Take what you hear with a grain of salt. Really scrutinize information and see how it applies to your situation. Finally, try to validate what you are hearing with at least four or five trusted sources before taking action.And know this. As soon as you “rock your profile,” something new will come along to make your efforts obsolete.